10k pushups and other silly exercise quests that changed my life

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Habit-building and Motivation

  • Many relate to being sedentary programmers and find the “10k pushups” quest motivating because it’s simple, specific, and trackable.
  • Incremental habit-building (start small, layer one thing at a time, log progress) is repeatedly praised as more realistic than “total lifestyle overhauls.”
  • Turning data into charts/spreadsheets and beating personal records (pushups, 5K/10K times) makes the process game-like and fun.

Home Workouts vs Gym

  • Several note that doing pushups at home has almost zero friction: no travel, no gear, can be done anytime, anywhere.
  • Others point out gyms have fountains, equipment, and can be fun for variety and muscle gain, but commuting and crowded machines kill consistency for many.
  • Home gyms (racks, barbells, calisthenics setups) are framed as a good compromise: upfront cost, but no excuses afterward.

Pushup Form, Volume, and Injury

  • One thread debates “correct” pushup form: some argue imperfect form is fine and better than doing nothing; others stress that bad mechanics (e.g., flared elbows, sagging hips) can cause shoulder and joint injuries.
  • There’s disagreement over how important form is: from “form is overrated” to “anatomy matters, certain forms are objectively harmful.”
  • Progress strategies include breaking volume into many small sets, using knee pushups, negatives, or other upper-body exercises first.

Balancing Push vs Pull

  • Multiple comments warn about doing only pushing movements, especially for “keyboard jockeys” prone to shoulder/ posture issues.
  • Recommendations include a higher ratio of pulling (rows, facepulls, pulldowns, ring work, band exercises), though there’s disagreement over whether it should be 2:1 push:pull or the opposite.

Diet, Fast Food, and Environment

  • Fitness often leads to cleaner eating; some describe being “turned off” junk food once they feel physically better.
  • Others strongly defend fast food, saying they feel fine or even better after it, and argue a fast-food burger isn’t fundamentally different from homemade.
  • Office life and commuting are blamed for worse food choices and less time/energy to exercise; working from home makes healthy routines easier for some.
  • Walking and low-intensity cardio are highlighted as powerful, sustainable tools for weight loss and mental health.